This past summer we took a big southern road trip where we experienced many southern cities. New Orleans topped our list for places we couldn't wait to see. Along with our Bourbon Street wandering we decided to take a day trip to a plantation we had read about, Oak Alley Plantation. We slipped into our most "southern plantation" outfits, hoped in the car and traveled the 45 minutes towards Vacherie, Louisiana.
When we pulled up to where the GPS said it was we were puzzled, were we in the right spot? Is this it? Our eyes searched for recognition from pictures we had seen. As we drove a few feet more I rubbed my eyes to reassure my brain that I wasn't dreaming. My jaw dropped and it didn't stop hitting the ground for the rest of the day. As we parked we looked at each other knowingly saying, wow!
We paid for our entry and the tour. We learned that the next tour was in about 30 minutes and we discovered that we had the perfect amount of time to explore the grounds before joining the others to find out more about the mansion. As we walked towards the mansion the warm, heavy southern air engulfed us. With each following step we looked around in awe at each new amazing site that continued to unfold in front of us. Each turn was a new feast for our eyes to gorge upon. The only words that we could utter were things like "Oh my god, look at that!" or "Wow did you see?", fingers pointed, heads shook in disbelief and I tried not to blink too much so I could savor every last sight.
The mansion itself, with it's columns & impressive size would have been enough to make this day trip worthwhile. Loving historical homes, we were thrilled to witness this amazing old home from the 1800s.
But the real star of the show was the oak alley which lead up to the large home, which looked almost dwarfed next to these amazing old oak trees. Spanish moss dripped off of each humongous branch which appeared to be endless. The branches all tangled within each other so it was hard to tell where one tree began and the other ended, like an intricate and fascinating natural puzzle.
When I say that these trees were huge it barely covers the enormity of them. Words and even pictures can not convey the sheer scale and importance of these beautiful giants. The roots themselves were as big as some full grown trees. Standing beneath them you felt so tiny and could just feel the amazing lives these trees have lived so far. The times they have bared witness to, from slavery to the civil war to present day and even before, these trees have witnessed a lot of changes. We learned on the tour that the trees were already planted and growing here when the first owners decided to build their home here back in the 1800s. The person who planted them is not known but I think it's safe to say he or she was a visionary and able to see things for what they will be not only what they are currently.
Our tour commenced, took us into this antebellum mansion and we learned many fun facts and heard some wonderful stories of the house's elaborate past. We learned that Oak Alley's original name was Bon Sejour meaning "good stay". It was a sugar cane plantation and has passed through many hands from the years since it was purchases in 1830. Oak Alley has gone from glorious southern mansion, to cattle barn (yes cattle inside this mansion, living grazing and wrecking the place), to a very expensive present (Andrew Stewart gifted the plantation to his wife in 1925), to the Oak Alley foundation that it is today where people are lucky enough to marvel at this historic home. We happily walked through the rooms with some original pieces and peaked out every window we could to keep our eye on the oak alley to make sure it was still there.
To finish the interesting tour we were lucky enough to head out to the top floor balcony and gaze upon the view that the owners were privileged enough to see every morning as they awoke.
We snapped some pictures and concluded our tour with an opportunity to sip some mint juleps on the patio. Some people were ready to find shelter from the afternoon heat but we had not drank in enough of those views just yet.
We sat on the porch quietly taking in the sights, sounds and smells. We held our breath with delight each time a warm breeze would drift off the Mississippi River and fan us for a moment or two. We meandered hand in hand around the property and found the part of Oak Alley which is not charming and certainly not magical in any way.
We witnessed some samples of homes where the over 200 slaves lived and worked on this plantation. We read storied about their lives and their day to day work load. The whole time that we were marveling at the breathtaking view and the amazing grounds and the unique house we did have these people in the back of our minds. I was glad to see that Oak Alley Plantation did not decide to sweep this horrible past under the rug. They had it out in the open and memorialized the people who were enslaved here on this wall with each of their names. My heart sunk as I read each name and saw their living conditions. I tried to place myself in their shoes, taking into consideration the oppressive heat and humidity that we were facing today. Imagining with disbelief the amount of hardship that these people endured each and every day of their lives. Throughout our southern road trip we had a number of encounters with the harsh reality that was the south during the past. I found it interesting that most places explained that after the Civil War the south fell on hard times and places (like Oak Alley Plantation) did not know how to continue on without the slaves. We felt a certain amount of disgust in people even commenting on how these poor people who owned plantations lost their fortunes when they lost their slaves. It was a very grounding experience to see a place where humans were treated as property for so long. With solemn hearts we continued to walk around the grounds and take in the rest of this historical place.
Once the heat began to seem like too much we decided the take one last peak at the glorious view and prepare to drive back. We were lucky enough that there were some nice people willing to snap some photos for us.
Oak Alley Plantation was a truly unforgettable experience that should be on everyone's bucket list. The scenery was truly unreal and pictures can not do it justice. The history was informative, upsetting at times and very important to learn about. This is the perfect day trip from New Orleans and if you ask me it is a necessity for any southern road trip.
